Analyzing an at least three-dimensional medical image

Abstract

A system for analyzing an at least three-dimensional medical image comprises a lesion detector ( 51 ) for identifying a lesion ( 4 ) represented by the image. A surface detector ( 52 ) identifies at least part of a surface ( 5 ) of an object represented by the image. Means ( 53 ) are provided for establishing an orientation of the lesion ( 4 ) with respect to at least part of the surface ( 5 ), based on an output of the lesion detector ( 51 ) and an output of the surface detector ( 52 ). A model fitter ( 54 ) fits a model ( 6 ) to the lesion ( 4 ). The means ( 53 ) for establishing an orientation of the lesion ( 4 ) comprises a lesion orientation detector ( 56 ) for computing an orientation value (α) indicative of an orientation of the model ( 6 ) with respect to at least part of the surface ( 5 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising
 a memory storing a set of instructions; and 
 a processor executing the set of instructions to perform operations comprising:
 identifying a portion of a surface of an object represented by an at least three dimensional medical image wherein the portion of the surface is identified based on a relationship with a lesion; 
 identifying the lesion disposed below the surface of the object and represented by the image; and 
 establishing an orientation of the lesion with respect to the portion of the surface, based on the identification of the lesion and the portion of the surface, wherein the establishing the orientation of the lesion comprises generating a view of the lesion according to a projection plane or intersection plane perpendicular to the portion of the surface. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the identification of the lesion for comprises fitting a model to the lesion and the establishing the orientation of the lesion comprises computing an orientation value indicative of an orientation of the model with respect to the portion of the surface. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying the portion of the surface comprises selecting the portion of the surface substantially closest to the lesion. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the view comprises generating a multi-planar reformat of the image corresponding to the intersection plane. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the view comprises rendering a view of the image visualizing at least part of the lesion, a viewing direction of the view being parallel to the portion of the surface. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the view comprises generating a view in which the portion of the surface coincides with a border of the view. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the view further comprises including in the view an annotation indicating a long axis of the lesion. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the lesion comprises fitting a model to the lesion, and wherein generating the view comprises determining the orientation of the projection or intersection plane, based on an orientation of the model fitted to the lesion and on the portion of the surface. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein fitting the model comprises identifying a longitudinal direction of the lesion, and wherein generating the view comprises generating the view of the lesion according to a projection plane or intersection plane perpendicular to the portion of the surface and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lesion. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise classifying the lesion according to clinical relevance, based on the orientation value. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a surface of a breast represented in the image, and the lesion comprises a breast lesion. 
     
     
       12. A medical imaging apparatus comprising the system of  claim 1  and a medical image scanner providing the at least three-dimensional image. 
     
     
       13. A method of analyzing an at least three-dimensional medical image, comprising
 identifying a portion of a surface of an object and represented by the image wherein the portion of the surface is identified based on a relationship with a lesion; 
 identifying the lesion disposed below the surface of the object and represented by the image; and 
 establishing an orientation of the lesion with respect to the portion of the surface, based on an output of the lesion detector and an output of the surface detector, wherein the establishing the orientation of the lesion comprises generating a view of the lesion according to a projection plane or intersection plane perpendicular to the portion of the surface. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computerized system to perform the method according to  claim 13 .